Wintergrass: Insider's Guide to Bellevue

This Thursday the Wintergrass Music Festival will be coming to the Hyatt Regency. While primarily a bluegrass festival there will be an eclectic mix of bands from many musical genres including Gypsy jazz, Celtic music, Old-Timey, Swedish polskas and many more types of acoustic string music. Having previously been held at the Hotel Murano in Tacoma this will be the festival's first year at its new digs in Bellevue. This is one of the best indoor festivals in the country and draws a very dedicated following of bluegrass fanatics, many of whom bring their instruments with them and participate in informal jam sessions throughout the festival space.

If you have never been, this weekend is a great opportunity to get to know this festival as it expands into its new home. For those who have been to Wintergrass when it was in Tacoma, it may be a bit intimidating to get your bearings, especially if you have not spent much time in Bellevue. This guide is here to assist you make the most of your time. Whether you are looking for a quick bite to eat in between bands, a more relaxing dinner, to whet your whistle or perhaps just want to get out and stretch your legs this guide is here to help you get around town. Not knowing what the Hyatt's music venues will be like until this weekend, it is clear that the sheer number of dining and entertainment options in such close proximity to the festival makes Bellevue a much better choice than Tacoma.

Quick Bites to Eat:

• Casa D's Taqueria – Cheap, Fast and Big Portions

  • 102 Bellevue Way NE – less than 5 minutes walk less than 2 blocks south of Hyatt

• Blue C Sushi – Conveyor Belt Sushi, Pretty Affordable, Quick and Lots of Selection

  • 503 Bellevue Square - 3 minute walk right down Bellevue Way

• Boom Noodle - Pretty Quick, Affordable and Satisfying on a chilly, NW day.

  • 504 Bellevue Square – 4 minute walk down Bellevue Way, just past Blue C

• M.O.D Superfast Pizza – Fast, Thin Crust Personal Pizzas, $6 unlimited toppings

  • 317 Bellevue Way NE – 5 minute walk, just south of Bellevue Square Mall

More Relaxing Dinner:

• Daniel's Broiler – Great steaks, Killer Happy Hours (4-6:30pm & 9pm-12am), Great Views

  • 10500 NE 8th St, 21^st Floor – In same complex (Bellevue Place as Hyatt), in Bank of America Tower

• Maggiano's – Good Food, Great Service, Exclusive Wintergrass dinner show Friday night only 5-8pm for Wintergrass attendees only.

  • 10455 NE 8th St – right across the street from the Hyatt at Lincoln Square

• Pearl Bar & Dining – Beautiful Restaurant, Awesome Cocktails, Excellent Happy Hours (3-6pm, 9pm-12am)

  • 700 Bellevue Way NE, Suite 50 – 5 minutes walk, on the south side of Lincoln Square, across from the Westin.

• Monsoon East – Excellent Food, Elegant Restaurant, Weekend Dim Sum Brunch

  • 10245 Main St. - A nice 12 minute, 3 block walk south of the Hyatt in Old Bellevue

Places to Whet Your Whistle:

• Twisted Cork Wine Bar – Lounge will be an official venue Friday and Saturday but you don't need a wrtistband to get in here, great way to experience the festival without the expense of a ticket, great wine-by-the-glass selection.

  • Lobby of the Hyatt (going to be busy, might want to make a reservation if you have your heart set on eating here)

• Stir Martini & Raw Bar– Will also be a festival venue on Friday and Saturday nights but the dining room will still be open, Great Cocktails, Exciting Seafood based menu.

  • Lobby of the Hyatt (going to be busy, might want to make a reservation if you have your heart set on eating here)

• Tap House Grill – Best Beer Selection on Eastside, Over 150 Taps, Decent Happy Hour

  • 550 106th Ave NE – 6 minute walk about 2 blocks south of Hyatt

• Paddy Coyne's Irish Pub – Decent Pub Grub (Good Fish & Chips!!!), Guinness on Tap

  • 700 Bellevue Way NE – Right across the street from the Hyatt, next to Maggiano's

Stretch Your Legs:

• Lucky Strike – Swanky Bowling Alley with big video screens, decent happy hour from 4-7pm

  • 700 Bellevue Way NE – right across the street in Lincoln Square, up the escalators one level

• The Parlor – Upscale Billiards Parlor, Happy Hour all day on Sundays, $12/hr tables during the days.

  • 700 Bellevue Way NE – 3^rd Floor of Lincoln Square, up one level from Lucky Strike

• Downtown Bellevue Park – City Oasis, ½ mile loop trail, Cool Water Fountains

  • 10201 NE 4th Street – About 5 minutes from Hyatt, just south of Bellevue Square Mall

• Bellevue Botanical Gardens – Beautiful Escape from the city,

  • 12001 Main Street – 5 minute drive away, on the east side of 405

Enjoy the Festival!!!

Andrea Nguyen Delights with Dumplings at Monsoon East

In celebration of the Asian Lunar New Year, Eric and Sophie Banh of Monsoon East presented a celebratory lunch this past Friday hosted by acclaimed cookbook author Andrea Nguyen. Nguyen who recently published her second cookbook "Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas and More," is a very charismatic, personable cook who masterfully captivated the capacity crowd in Monsoon East's main dining room. Like any good speaker, Andrea worked the somewhat awkwardly shaped room expertly, making sure that everyone could see and hear what she was discussing and demonstrating.

With her new book it is Andrea's mission to demystify the revered Asian dumpling. For someone like me, who has hit up their share of Dim Sum brunches yet have fiddled at home helplessly with those sticky store-bought dumpling wrappers; Andrea Nguyen is a beacon of hope in a see of uncertainty. She took a big risk in trying to convince the average home cook that they can indeed make their own dumpling shells by providing a simple, food-processor recipe that she insists results in a much more user-friendly dumpling assembly process.

The five-course luncheon paired several styles of dumplings inspired by Nguyen's recipes yet prepared by the masterful Monsoon East kitchen, with some delicious teas that truly showcased the versatility of each. In between courses, Nguyen offered some insight into the dishes as well as tips and techniques attendees could use to make delicious dumplings at home. Some of the most useful tips were to make your own skins (as they will be more supple, more forgiving and likely hold more filling), to use a standard issue tortilla press to assist in the creation of a perfect round wrapper and to remove as much of the liquid and moisture as possible from your filling.

As for the food, it most certainly did not disappoint. The first course showcased a sticky rice dumpling technique that most closely resembled a stuffed and trussed pork loin, filled with mung bean paste and pork and served with cubed Vietnamese pork sausage on top. This dumpling was a wonderful play on contrast with the delicate flavors of the mung bean paste countering the toothiness of the cubed pork and the sticky texture of the rice.

The next course again showcased a unique texture, this time with a glistening tapioca pearl doughsphere filled with shrimp and taro root, swimming in a sea of delicious Nuoc Cham sauce (that ubiquitous Vietnamese sauce that is served alongside your spring rolls and usually has carrots floating in it). The chewy texture of the tapoica and the subtle flavors from the filling really popped when mixed with the sweet and tartness of the sauce. Next up was a delicious fried dumpling filled with lobster that was paired with the most delicious tea I have ever had; a magnificent toasted rice tea that was subtle enough to pair perfectly with the crunchy dumpling and its succulent filling.


The fourth course, my favorite of the meal was a delicate rice flour dumpling wrapped like a mini-crepe filled with Kurobuta pork shoulder and Woodear mushrooms topped with batones of the same pork sausage used earlier. The delicate, thin texture of this dumpling worked perfectly with the unctuous filling and the light sauce to provide the best four bites I took all day. (Beautiful photo of this course is courtesy of Denise over at Wasabi Prime)

Finally to come full circle, the dessert dumpling showcased the same pork-loin-esque technique as the first course but this time was filled with banana that had intiguingly turned a muddish red color from its overnight cooking process and was accompanied by a delicious coconut and basil sauce. It served as the perfect final act to a great meal.

I would like to thank the folks at Monsoon East, Gruman & Nicoll PR and Andrea herself for putting on such a wonderful event. It was an eye opening experience for me and I look forward to trying out some of Andrea's recipes. If you are looking for an introduction to making your own dumplings at home, this book is certainly a great place to start.

Eastside News & Notes Roundup

There has been alot going on in the Eastside food scene these days. Instead of doing short posts about each story, we have combined everything into one comprehensive post covering all sorts of local happenings.

Chef Brian Scheehser of Kirkland's Trellis is featured on PBS's Chef's a Field series this week in an episode titled "The Real Chef's Garden"
This episode of Chef's a Field showcases Chef Scheehser's relationship with the South 47 Farm in Redmond where he grows many of the fruits, vegetables and herbs that are served at Trellis. It truly personifies the connection between farm to table cuisine. As Scheehser describes of himself, "I would say that I am 75% farmer and 75% chef..." and later as "A Chef with Farmer Hands" it really shows his desire to perform both of these important, full-time roles. The episode shows the chef walking amongst the rows of the farm seeking inspiration from nature's gifts. He discusses what he plans to do with everything he grows; from the edamame like presentation of the fava beans, the many uses of all parts of fennel, to the simple, grilled preparation of the onion scapes.

Then the chef moves into Trellis' kitchen where he prepares his Two-Hour' Summer Salad with
Sweet Grilled Red Onion, Strawberries, Olive Oil And Balsamic Drizzle, Wild King Salmon Seared With Artichoke Salad, and a Summer Strawberry Shortcake with Mascarpone Cream. All three of these recipes can be found here.

---

PCC Natural Markets Donate to Haiti Relief
As reported by the Redmond Reporter, PCC Natural Markets, the nation's largest natural foods cooperative has donated $25,000 to the American Red Cross for earthquake relief efforts in Haiti.

“The magnitude of food, health care and infrastructure support needed by victims of this disaster is overwhelming,” said Tracy Wolpert, PCC’s CEO. “We are pleased to contribute to the recovery efforts being coordinated by the American Red Cross.”

If you needed yet another reason to support PCC, this is a great one. Be sure to check them out at their 3 Eastside locations in Issaquah, Redmond and Kirkland.

---

Things are Changing in Kirkland
As reported on the Eastside Inside blog, the TGIF in Kirkland's Parkplace shopping area has closed and in its place is the Parkplace Pub, owned by the same people that run Damien's in the Overlake neighborhood. They will be having an opening celebration next Tuesday night, January 19th that will a live DJ and drink specials.

Additionally, we have learned that a new Metropolitan Market is in the works to replace the Houghton Market at 10611 N.E. 68th St. in Kirkland. This will be the first Eastside location for this chain of upscale markets that currently has 6 locations in Seattle, Tacoma and Federal Way.

The new tenant will allow Houghton Market's employees to apply for jobs and will add more than 100 additional, new jobs once the store opens are its remodel.

---

Bellevue Happenings
As reported by the Downtown Bellevue Network, Cantinetta is rumored to be taking over Salute's vacant spot on Main Street in Old Bellevue. Cantinetta is a popular, neighborhood Italian eatery in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood.

Although it has been on Eastside Eat's wishlist for a long time, we unfortunately do not have first hand experience about Cantinetta but have heard very good things, especially about their in-house, handmade pastas.

Hope this rumor is true, as the addition of Cantinetta would make Main Street quite the dining destination alongside Monsoon East, Bis on Main and La Cocina Del Puerco.

Additionally, as we learned from Bellevue.com, Toy's Cafe celebrated its grand re-opening last week at its new location at Bellevue Plaza, at the corner of 106th Ave NE and NE 2nd Street.

Toy's Café offers a mix of familiar Cantonese, Mandarin and Szechuan dishes. They have value-oriented lunch specials that run from 11:30am through 3pm, all under $7. If you need to have a working lunch, they also offer free delivery (within a limited area) for orders over $25 if you want to get your co-workers involved.

Two New Brunch Options in Downtown Bellevue

Bellevue already has two pretty decent offerings for authentic Dim Sum in Noble Court and Top Gun, but if you are looking for a little bit more of a comfortable, upscale experience in Downtown Bellevue, Wild Ginger fits the bill.

Beginning tomorrow Wild Ginger at the Bravern will be serving Dim Sum and a Hawker Brunch every Saturday and Sunday from 10am through 3pm.

Most people are probably familiar with Dim Sum with its steaming dumplings, roasted pork humbows and assortment of various small dishes, but Hawker (street) foods are still pretty exotic for most Americans. Similar in fashion to the NYC hot dogs and falafel trucks or to some of Seattle's mobile food trucks, Hawker foods are ubiquitous around Asia where they are usually situated amongst open-air markets and offer customers good, authentic, affordable local fare. Wild Ginger already has some of Asia's most popular hawker foods on their menu; satay, laksa and curry crab, but are adding additional menu items like Singapore noodles, nasi goreng (fried rice topped with a fried egg), and coconut pancakes for these special brunches.

---

Barrio Restaurant recently launched their own new Brunch menu last weekend. Many of their regular menu items will be available, but there are some very enticing specialty items that will be available only for brunch .

Most notably are the Breakfast Tacos en Cazuela with scrambled eggs, housemade chorizo, habanero salsa, manchego cheese, fried potatoes, guacamole, fresh tomato salsa and house hot sauce that will run you $13, that sound great as well as the Mexican Style French Toast made from brioche accompanied with candied pecans and maple syrup for 10.

I think these are two great additions to the pretty lackluster assortment of local brunch offerings. Hopefully they will literally and figuratively, spice up the local dining scene.

I hope to check out these brunch spots in the coming weeks, but if you beat me to it please share your experiences by leaving a comment.

M.O.D. Pizza Coming to Bellevue

As first reported by The Downtown Bellevue Network, a new pizza restaurant will be coming to Bellevue. MOD (Made On Demand) Pizza is a new pizza concept brought to you by the same folks who own and operate Top Pot Doughnuts. This will be the second location, with the first on 6th Ave in Downtown Seattle right across from the Washington Athletic Club. What sets MOD apart is their one-size-fits all pizza pricing, as all 11 inch pizzas are $5.88 regardless of how many toppings you have, and their speed as pizzas are prepared and cooked in less than 5 minutes in their stone fire oven.

They have 10 unique topping combinations to choose from, including the enticingly, spicy Calexico with their signature red sauce, mozzarella, Gorgonzola, chicken, hot buffalo sauce and crunchy jalapenos. or you can make your own combination from their seemingly endless list of ingredients. The crust is thin and crunchy, perhaps more like a flatbread than your traditional pie. To accompany your pizza they also offer some salads, garlic knots and the random Hostess Ding Dong for dessert. Also not to be missed are MOD's old-fashioned milkshakes available in Vanilla, Chocolate or the not to be missed Huckleberry.

The Bellevue location will be at NE 4th Avenue Street & Bellevue Way, where Clampitts Dry Cleaners used to be across from Safeway. It will be nice to see another quick, affordable and unique eatery open up in Downtown Bellevue. This is a trend I would love to see continue. MOD Pizza is set to open later this month.

MOD Pizza - Bellevue
317 Bellevue Way NE
Bellevue, WA 98004

Exciting Eastside NYE Dining Options

Have you made your plans for New Years Eve yet ?

The best restaurants typically book up early, but in this economy there is sure to be more people staying home meaning more openings still available. This might be good news for you procrastinators out there who are late to consider your options.

Of the many special dinners and events going on for the holiday, here are some of the most interesting and enticing options on the Eastside:

Stir Martini & Raw Bar in Bellevue at the Hyatt Regency hotel is hosting a a New Years party that will include a red carpet, dance floor, fiery favors and drink specials to celebrate each time zones' midnight. Sounds pretty fun!

Also of note if you are concerned about staying off the roads, the Hyatt Regency is offering a special $99 nightly rate for guests of Stir. Pretty good deal if you are looking to make a little more out of the night. You can make reservations at (425) 462-1234 and be sure to mention the STIR New Year’s special.

The Pomegranate Bistro in Redmond, will be offering a 5-course feast for $65 ($100 with wines) that will include Maine lobster in Sauterne, stuffed quail, and braised lamb shank. Sounds like a pretty decent meal at a decent price, especially compared to some of the exorbitant prices for some of the other local restaurants.

Finally and also in Redmond, the Stone House will be offering what looks like a stupendous New Year's Eve dinner for $52 per person including a champagne toast. Here is the menu:

First Course (choice of):
Cider Braised Pork Belly, Creamed Kale, Hedgehog Mushrooms
Kumamoto Oysters on the half shell with champagne-Meyer Lemon Ice
Buckwheat Crepes, Wild Mushrooms, Braised Spinach, Leek Cream Sauce

Second Course (choice of):
Truffled Potato and Sun Choke Soup, Micro Arugula, Meyer Lemon Oil
Pear and Persimmon Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette, Goat Cheese and Pepitas
Golden Beets, Spinach, Rogue River Blue Cheese

Intermezzo
Blood Orange Gelato

Entrée (choice of):
Grilled King Salmon with Dungeness Crab-Potato Soufflé
Chili Crusted Filet, Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, Broccolini, Red Pepper Coulis
Seared Sea Scallops, Meyer Lemon Jam, Yam Puree, Bacon-brussel sprout, parsnip Hash

Dessert (choice of):
Chocolate Soufflé Cake Crème Brulee Banana Foster Bread Pudding

If I were staying in town, you would find me at the Stone House cozying up to my wife and that King Salmon with Crab-Potatoe Souffle. Sounds like a perfect, elegant New Year's Eve close to home!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

Bellevue's Barrio Reviewed on Cornichon Blog

There is a review of Bellevue's Barrio on the great, Seattle food blog Cornichon, written by my colleague Ronald Holden at the Seattlest. Ronald always finds an interesting way to talk food.

My favorite quip in this review has to do with the seasoning in one of his dishes;

"Only in Bellevue, one feels, is a ban on salt written into the Municipal Code. Just requesting a salt shaker is akin to asking (aloud, in public) for kiddie porn."

Great stuff Ron, keep up the good work!

Off the Eaten Path: Bamboo Garden in Bellevue

Thousands drive by it everyday, yet few venture inside. Perhaps the jewel in Seattle's Chinese food crown is Bamboo Garden, precipitously located next to a sketchy adult store in the shadows of Bellevue's condo-mania. Specializing in Szechuan cuisine this is the place to go if you can take the heat, although they do a fairly good job with the standards.

The true signs of an authentic Chinese restaurant are an old woman separating pea shoots at a vacant table in the bar and lots of people speaking foreign tongues eating things that most Americans would not recognize. Both can be found at Bamboo Garden, but they take the latter sign of authenticity to heart and provide a “Wild Side” page at the back of their expansive menu. Here you will find the specialties of the house; the Swimming Fire Fish in addition to Sour and Spicy Jelly Fish and the appropriately titled “The Other Parts of the Pig.”

Be sure to try the unctuous Green Onion Pancakes, Stir Fried Prawns in Hot Garlic Sauce with succulent, chunky bamboo shoots and a perfectly balanced sauce that provides just the amount of sweetness to counter the heat. Also not to be missed are the Spareribs Glazed in Tangy Ginger Sauce and Pineapple. These delicious jewels of goodness are popable and messy, but are well worth the cleanup.

The ambiance is adequate with lots of wood and bamboo accents. Service is hit or miss. Frequent communication breakdowns will occur and your food will come out from the kitchen out of order, but the food is ultimately what you are worth it. See for yourself if Bamboo Garden is what many call the missing link in the Chinese food chain between San Francisco and Vancouver. We seem to think so.

Bamboo Garden
202 106th Place Northeast
Bellevue, WA 98004-5723
(425) 688-7991

** This post also runs on the Seattlest blog site as part of the new Off the Eaten Path feature that will cover affordable, independent food businesses that most people don't know about.

Happy Hour Report: Seastar in Bellevue

On a recent chilly evening, my wife, Michelle and I unexpectedly found our commutes home had us crisscrossing near downtown Bellevue. It was the perfect opportunity to check out Happy Hour at Bellevue's famed Seastar Restaurant and Oyster Bar.

Arriving at about 5:20, we had to quickly make our menu selections to get our order in as Happy Hour awkwardly ended at 5:30. Running from 3:30 to 5:30, this has to be one of the most non-customer friendly time frames, not giving most 9to5-ers the opportunity to get there in time to enjoy much of the happiest of hours.

We ordered two glasses of wine, one white and one red (missed the specifics, sorry) which turned out to be barely drinkable. I guess when you get a $3 glass, you can't have overly lofty expectations. For food, we ordered up a Spicy Tuna Roll ($3) for my spicy tuna connoisseur wife, Garlic Grilled Shrimp with Mashed Potatoes ($5), Putaportiwon's Calamari Poppers ($7.50) and the Seared Kal-Bi Pork Medallions ($7) to make it a Surf & Turf affair.

The Spicy Tuna Roll arrived first. As we dug in we were disappointed that the roll was ice cold and gummy, having obviously been pre-made and chilled. The disappointment continued on this menu item as any nuisances and flavor of the tuna were overpowered by red pepper flake and sriracha. Once again, it was only $3 but if you are a high-end seafood restaurant who chooses to serve sushi, you should provide better sushi than QFC.

Luckily, the Garlic Shrimp and Pork Medallions arrived and were much more appealing. The shrimp were cooked perfectly; nice and firm with a nice, subtle garlic flavor. The accompanying potatoes unfortunately were overpowered by the flood of melted butter they were topped with. Sure, who doesn't love a little butter on their mashed potatoes, but this took it a little far. The pork medallions were the highlight of the meal, perfectly cooked and accompanied by a nice, sweet sauce. They were exceptionally tender and had a nice sear. Great Dish!

Considering our meal thus far had been pretty hit-or-miss, the most bizarre dish of the night was by far the Calamari Poppers. Presentation wise the poppers looked like bloated fingers after too much MSG; almost like bloated mini haggises. They were advertised as being "semi-fried," dipped into a watery beer batter and fried. The fried coating only seemed to accentuate the rubbery texture of the calamari and did not add any contrast to the gummy, chewy stuffing. They were oddly accompanied by sliced grapes and a zesty slaw. When our waitress returned we inquired about the dish and she informed us that the stuffing was the same spicy tuna mixture they used in the spicy tuna roll we had earlier. If anything they were consistent, as we didn't enjoy it in the sushi and didn't like it any better stuffed into the calamari.

At the end of the day, we got alot of food for our $40 and left relatively satisfied. The atmosphere in the bar was nice and we enjoyed the game on TV. Service was adequate, but nothing extraordinary. If happy hour is supposed to entice people to return for dinner, Seastar definitely failed in this endeavor. With all of the new offerings in downtown Bellevue, nothing about this experience begged for another.

Grade: C

Parking Situation at Bellevue Towers Improves

As reported by the Downtown Bellevue Network, the dreadful evening parking situation at the Bellevue Towers should drastically improve with the addition of two additional parking options. If you have dined (or attempted to dine) at Purple Cafe & Wine Bar or Barrio, you have likely encountered a long line to enter the garage or found that it is full.

In addition to validated parking which will still be available in the Bellevue Towers garage, you can now park at two other lots:

- Key Bank Building Surface Lot (across NE 4th Street) which will be offering complimentary parking every day after 5pm and all day on the weekends with no validated ticket necessary

-Ampco System Parking Surfact Lot (across 106th Avenue NE) which will offer free parking Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights after 5pm with a validated parking ticket.

Hopefully this will make it easier and more convenient for people to visit both of these restaurants.

Bellevue's Pearl Celebrates its First Anniversary Tomorrow Night

Beginning at 6pm on December 1st, Pearl Bar & Dining owners Bradley Dickinson and Mikel Rogers will be celebrating their restaurant's first anniversary. To celebrate the occasion they will be offering half priced signature cocktails, wine by the glass, small plates and draft beer.

Bradley and Mikel are also looking to share their good fortune as they are partnering with the Eastside Domestic Violence Program (EDVP) for the evening and are asking party goers to bring in toys for the many children in EDVP’s homeless shelters and programs.

There is no better way to celebrate one of Bellevue's best new restaurants then by picking up a couple of toys for the kids, and a half-priced Pomegranate Noir cocktail for yourself.

Congratulations on a great first year! Here's to many more!

Ellie Krieger Book Signing in Bellevue – Sunday 11/15

Arguably America's favorite dietitian, Ellie Krieger will be at Sur La Table at the Bravern Shops in Downtown Bellevue this coming Sunday beginning at noon. Ellie is in town promoting her new cookbook So Easy: Luscious, Healthy Recipes for Every Meal of the Week, which you will be able to purchase and get signed at this event.

If you don't know her show, Ellie Krieger is a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition and health communications, and is the host of the Food Network’s Healthy Appetite, which airs Saturdays afternoon. She is a NY Times best selling author who has written 3 books about healthy eating including one of my favorites called Small Changes, Big Results which is a really good resource covering the basics for a healthy diet.

If Sunday doesn't work for you, Ellie will also be conducting a discussion and another cook book signing at Town Hall Seattle on Monday. Details can be found here.

Sur La Table

11111 NE 8th St
Bellevue, WA‎
(425) 450-4010‎

"4for48" Promo Showcases Four Eastside Eateries

“4for48” is the brainchild of Seattle chef Jason Wilson who ran this promotion at his own restaurant Crush with such great success, he wanted to share the concept with 12 of his fellow comrades.

Held Sunday through Thursday evenings during the month of November (excluding Turkey Day), 13 restaurants in the Seattle area will offer 4-courses for $48.

Of the 13 restaurants participating we are lucky enough to have 4 of them on our side of the Lake: Seastar & Pearl in Bellevue along with Trellis & bin on the lake in Kirkland.

It appears that Pearl and Trellis do(es) not have their 4for48 menus available, but here are bin on the lake, Seastar and Trellis':

Seastar's Sample Menu:

First Course (Choose one)
Deviled Eggs…Two with Salmon Gravlox Wasabi Tobiko & Two with Truffled Ahi
Scallop Ceviche with Mango-Kiwi Relish
Sesame-Peppercorn Crusted Ahi with Ginger-Soy Reduction
Fresh Shucked Oysters with Pomegranate-Citrus Relish

Second Course (Choose one)
Hot-n-Sour Thai Shrimp Soup with Kaffir Lime Leaf
Dungeness Crab and Sweet Corn Bisque with Port-Madeira Reduction
Spinach and Golden Beet Salad with Maple Vinaigrette
Thai Seafood Salad with Sweet Onion, Mint, Lime & Cilantro

Entrée Course (Choose one)
Grilled Escolar with Acini de Pepe, Sweet Grilled Peppers and Balsamic Reduction
Chef’s Choice Sushi Platter – 16 Pieces
Including Nigiri and Maki Style
Roasted Jidori Chicken with Herbed Chevre, Fingerling Potatoes, Spinach , Sun Dried Tomato
Pumpkin Seed Crusted Diver Scallops with Sweet Basil Mashed and Tomato Coulis

Dessert Course (Choose one)
Classic Vanilla Bean Crème Brulè
Semi-Sweet Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Crème and Raspberry
White Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie with Caramel

** Two different wine flights will be offered with this dinner as 3 for $13.

bin on the lake's Sample Menu - (looks more like 5 courses to me, though!) - changes weekly

FIRST COURSE
Fig & Prosciutto Balsamic Reduction, Blue Cheese, Grilled Baguette

SECOND COURSE
Lamb Spring Roll
Pears, Currants, Apple, Quince Sauce

THIRD COURSE
Idaho Rainbow Trout
Beluga Lentils, Wilted Escarole, Garlic Butter

INTERMEZZO

FOURTH COURSE
Pork Loin
Pearl Onions, Arugula, Bourbon Jelly, Pear‐ Orange Sauce

FIFTH COURSE
Chocolate Caramel Mousse
Banana Brûlée

**Update: I have received a a sample menu for Trellis from Sarah Whitfield at Wilson Public Relations (the company promoting the 4for48). She promises to also send me Pearl's shortly.

Winter Salad
Persimmons, Ruby Red grapefruit, pomegranate seeds & watercress with frisée & grapefruit vinaigrette

Dog Point Sauvignon Blanc ’08 Marlborough, NZ

Wild Mushroom Tart
Wild foraged mushrooms & fines herbes with a Pinot essence

Potel-Aviron Fleurie ’07 Burgundy, France

Ellensburg Lamb
Martinez Ranch lamb, sautéed chard & kale, Syrah demi-glace

Amavi Syrah ’06 Walla Walla, WA

Winter Blues
Rogue River Gorgonzola, Classic English Stilton, Point Reyes Farmstead Bleu with fig jam & onion marmalade; sweet pear, hazelnut crostini

Haut Charmes Sauternes ’05 Bordeaux, France

2oz tasting per course (at an extra charge, I assume)

John Howie Steak - Seattle Weekly Review

In this week's Seattle Weekly Jonathan Kauffman reviews the newly opened John Howie Steak (JHS) in Belluvue's new Bravern complex; the latest endeavor from the lauded chef/entrepreneur of Seastar.


Per Kauffman's review it seems like they are doing alot of things right at JHS, including some elegant, old-school table service and high quality, aged beef. It is no wonder that Kauffman found the service hit-or-miss from such a new restaurant with the precision needed to pull off the pomp and circumstance of the traditional steakhouse experience.

My advice would be to wait a while for JHS to get its practice laps in before splurging for what could be a pretty elaborate and expensive meal. If things follow Howie's reputation, service should fall into line shortly.

Wild Ginger @ the Bravern in Bellevue: Yay or Nay?

A nice overview of the new Wild Ginger in Bellevue written by Nancy Leson ran today in the Seattle Times. It mentions the decor and some signature dishes and overall gives it high marks.

Things get a bit interesting in the comments field where some readers either agreed with Nancy's admiration for Wild Ginger or strongly disagreed. She followed up the Times article with a post on her blog All You Can Eat.

What are your thoughts? Have you dined at the new Wild Ginger at the Bravern? Share your thoughts and experiences with us with a comment.

Wild Ginger @ The Bravern
11020 NE 6th St. Ste 90
Bellevue, WA 98004
425.495.8889

Monsoon East Celebrates its First Birthday!

As reported on the Wasabi Prime blog yesterday, Monsoon East owners Eric and Sophie Bahn celebrated the restaurant's first birthday this past weekend. Undeniably one of the Eastside's best eateries, Monsoon East is a beautifully designed restaurant showcasing the cuisine of Vietnam tucked away on charming Main Street in Old Bellevue.

If you have yet to check this place out, now is the perfect opportunity as Monsoon East is participating in the November Dine Around Seattle promotion. Everything is prepared with a refinement and balance unmatched by any other Vietnamese restaurant on this side of the lake, from the rich, oxtail enriched broth in their lunch-time Pho with brisket and flank steak to the unbelievable drunken chicken to the mouth-watering sesame seed beignets served during weekend brunch.

Enjoy!

Monsoon East
10245 Min Street
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 635-1112

Welcome to Eastside Eats!!!

Hello and welcome to Eastside Eats a new blog that will focus entirely on the culinary options of Seattle's Eastside; primarily Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and Woodinville.

In the coming weeks and months look to this blog for restaurant profiles and reviews, coverage of special events and festivals, as well as interviews with chefs and local restaurant owners.